GENEVA.- The Rare Watches auction on 9 November at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, Geneva, will present an exceptional selection of vintage timepieces and contemporary independent creations, reflecting some of the touchpoints driving today's global watch collector. Historically significant vintage watches and the most sought-after works of contemporary independent watchmakers continue to be sought after by the international horological collector community, with timepieces offered in the Rare Watches sale exemplifying this. Independent makers have reshaped collecting tastes through their extraordinary creativity, technical innovation, rarity, and uncompromising craftsmanship, capturing the attention of seasoned connoisseurs and a new generation of enthusiasts alike.
The sale will feature a total of 218 timepieces of which over 35 are vintage, together with 39 watches by independent watchmakers of which seven are unique creations, offering a rare opportunity to acquire some of the most compelling examples of horology.
London during the 1960s and 1970s was a centre of extraordinary cultural and creative energy, and Jean-Jacques Cartier, who had instigated the production of Cartier watches in London, sought to create timepieces that truly reflected the spirit of the age. The designs that emerged from the workshops, including the legendary Crash and the present Octagonal Allonge, were not merely avant-garde but deliberately provocative. Their extraordinary, head-turning forms stood in complete contrast to the conservative round and rectangular wristwatches that dominated contemporary watchmaking at the time. The 1990 example revives this remarkable design with a case representing an elongated interpretation of the traditional Octagonal design, stretched along its vertical axis to create a distinctive rectangular silhouette with chamfered corners forming eight sides. Further emphasising its extraordinary rarity, is the fact that the watch is the first example of the 1990 Octagonal Allonge series to appear at international auction (estimate CHF400,000-600,000| US$490,000-720,000). During the May 2026 Rare Watches Geneva auction a London 1990 Crash set the highest price ever paid for any Cartier wristwatch, exceeding $2 million.
Also fresh to auction comes an extraordinary yellow gold Nautilus reference 3700/1 Patek Philippe, made for His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said of Oman in 1978. Only five examples of the yellow gold reference 3700 with 'Khanjar' dial were publicly known prior to its discovery. Adding further to its significance, it has survived in superb original condition and comes directly from its original owner, who worked in close proximity to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said. Its provenance is accompanied by the recipient's own remarkable account of his relationship with the Sultan and of the circumstances that ultimately led to him receiving the watch. As a young man, during his first meeting with Sultan Qaboos at the Palace, the future owner was asked the time. Not wearing a watch, he was unable to answer. The Sultan consequently gave him a wristwatch. On subsequent occasions, the Sultan noticed that he was again without the watch. Faced with the challenge of answering without consulting a timepiece, the young man gradually learned to observe the passage of the hours and minutes and to estimate the time with increasing accuracy. The present Patek Philippe Nautilus was subsequently bestowed upon him by Sultan Qaboos and became far more than a precious object: it embodied the trust placed in him and the lessons learned during his years of service. Preserved by its recipient ever since, the watch remains for him a lasting reminder of the man who taught him to value time (estimate CHF500,000-1,000,000 | US$610,000-1,200,000).
Introduced in 1941, Patek Philippe's reference 1518 holds an significant place in horological history as the world's first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch. From its introduction, the 1518 became one of the most prestigious and desirable complicated wristwatches demand consistently exceeding its extremely limited production of only 281 examples produced between 1941 and 1954, with the great majority in yellow gold. Christie's offers an example in yellow gold - the Archives confirmed production of the present watch with raised gold hour markers in 1948 and its subsequent sale on 17 December 1948 – most probably an exquisite Christmas or Happy New Year present (estimate CHF500,000-1,000,000 | US$630,000-1,300,000).
Among the rising generation of independent watchmakers is Sylvain Pinaud who completed his education at Techniques Horlogres Appliques (THA), the legendary workshop founded by Franois-Paul Journe, Vianney Halter and Denis Flageollet. In 2022, Pinaud launched the Origine, produced in extremely limited numbers, which received the prestigious Revelation Prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genve (GPHG). Two years later Pinaud created a unique piece in the Origine series featuring an exclusive black dial, with hands, balance bridge, escapement bridge and pallet bridge in pink gold and an platinum case (estimate CHF100,000-200,000 | US$130,000-250,000).
In 2002, Voutilainen established himself as an independent watchmaker and introduced the Vingt-8 in 2011, a defining creation and an important model in contemporary independent watchmaking. The present Vingt-8 SC is unique piece, combining a stainless steel case with a striking onyx dial and the technical sophistication for which the Finnish watchmaker has become renowned. The hour markers are rendered as baton indexes, with the notable exception of 5 o'clock, represented by the Roman numeral 'V' in reference to the present owner having been born on the 5th (estimate: CHF300,000-500,000 | US$360,000-600,000).
Franois-Paul Journe unveiled the final chapter of the Vagabondage series in 2022 with the Vagabondage I Gold, conceived to allow collectors to complete the coveted gold trilogy alongside the Vagabondage II and III in pink gold. This live auction presents a rare opportunity of a full trilogy set in pink gold with matching numbers;
• Vagabondage I, NO. 36/68-V, circa 2023 CHF400,000-800,000 | US$500,000-990,000
• Vagabondage II, NO. 36/68-VII, circa 2010 CHF400,000-800,000 | US$500,000-990,000
• Vagabondage III, NO. 36/68-VIII, circa 2017 CHF400,000-800,000 | US$500,000-990,000
Another opportunity to acquire a full set of exceptional F.P.Journe creations with matching numbers is the Ruthenium collection of 5 timepieces all numbered 92/99, formerly in the possession of Michael Schumacher and offered in the year marking Michael's 30th anniversary since joining La Scuderia Ferrari. To allow collectors and enthusiasts the opportunity to own a timepiece from the former Schumacher collection, each watch will be offered as a separate lot. The Ruthenium Collection consists of epochal models of F.P. Journe's production:
• The Octa Jour et Nuit Estimate CHF300,000-600,000 | $380,000-740,000
• The Tourbillon Souverain Estimate CHF650,000-1,200,000 | $800,000-1,500,000
• The Octa Chronographe Estimate CHF300,000-600,000 | $380,000-740,000
• The Octa Calendrier Estimate CHF300,000-600,000 | $380,000-740,000
• The Chronomtre Rsonance Estimate CHF650,000-1,200,000 | $800,000-1,500,000
With its silvered dial, the F.P.Journe Tourbillon Souverain belongs to the highly coveted Reference T series, third-generation. Delivered in 2001, its individual number, 125/01T, identifies it as the 125th example, and it's consigned to auction by the family of the original owner. Introduced in 1999, the Tourbillon Souverain Reference T is F.P.Journe's earliest series-produced wristwatch and the first with a remontoir d'galit (estimate CHF650,000-1,400,000 | US$820,000-1,800,000).
